The present invention relates generally to magnets and more particularly to an improved composite magnet as well as a magnet anchoring assembly.
In the prior art, it is known that "bar" magnets can be combined to provide a composite magnet having greater magnetic attraction than each individual magnet, by coupling them together with pole pieces which are made of magnetically attractive material and placed in contact with the poles of the magnets. The magnets are positioned with their polar axes parallel but with the poles of adjacent magnets reversed relative to each other so that each pole piece abuts the North pole of one magnet and the South pole of an adjacent magnet because the magnets will be attracted to each other and remain in place. Although the resultant composite magnet may provide greater magnetic attraction than each individual magnet, it does not provide a composite magnet which is believed to utilize all the potential magnetic attraction inherent in the individual magnets.
Although electromagnets can provide strong magnetic attraction and can be quickly de-energized to permit eacy decoupling when desired, they tend to be heavy and, of course, they require a source of electrical power, militating against their use in many applications such as, for example, in anchoring aircraft to a ship's deck since the weight of such devices cannot be tolerated in aircraft. Moreover, in other applications where a powerful magnet could prove advantageous (e.g. for temporarily attaching a scaffold-like structure or some equipment to the hull of a ship to facilitate repairs or maintenance), an electromagnet may be completely impractical, particularly for work to be done under the water. Therefore, a composite permanent magnet adapted to provide substantially strong magnetic attraction is desirable.
However, although composite permanent magnets could offer certain advantages over electromagnets (e.g., lighter weight), they cannot be utilized because there is no known device or method enabling easy decoupling of the magnet from the structure to which it may be attached. The very strength of the magnet, which makes the composite permanent magnet desirable, precludes its being used since it is extremely difficult and impractical to break the resultant magnetic coupling with the deck. Either a crew of men or some heavy apparatus will be needed to disengage the magnet, thus defeating some of the advantages of using a permanent magnet, particularly in the case of the improved composite magnet according to the present invention.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved composite magnet. Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved anchoring assembly capable of utilizing a powerful permanent magnet.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved composite magnet which is substantially more powerful than the sum of the magnetic attractions provided by its component magnet elements.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved permanent magnet anchoring assembly which enables a composite permanent magnet member to be used for providing powerful magnetic coupling capability yet enables relatively easy decoupling when desired.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved permanent magnet anchoring assembly which may be used for temporarily anchoring aircraft to the deck of a ship.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a new and improved permanent magnet anchoring assembly which permits temporary magnetic coupling to a structure made of a magnetically attractive material and easy removal and/or relocation of the anchoring assembly.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an assembly which enables the practical use of a samarium cobalt magnet, or any other powerful but "brittle" permanent magnet, without the normally attendant risk of shattering when the magnet is dropped or when it suddenly contacts a magnetically attractive substance.
Objects and advantages of the invention are set forth in part herein and in part will become apparent herefrom, or may be appreciated by practice with the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities, combinations and methods pointed out in the appended claims. Accordingly, the present invention resides in the novel parts, constructions, arrangements, improvements, methods and steps herein shown and described.